November 2009
Success for non-invasive prolapse surgery
Head of Uro-Gynaecology at the
Women’s Marcus Carey has invented a procedure that uses a unique adjustable
silicon device to support mesh after it is surgically-implanted to repair a
prolapsed vagina.
The world-leading surgeon had
become frustrated with the unacceptably high failure rate of conventional
procedures.
‘I saw a huge, unmet need for
women needing this surgery, which currently has a high fail rate,’ Dr Carey
said.
‘Traditional surgical techniques
for this operation had been around for about 100 years.
‘One in nine women has surgery
for a prolapsed vagina and about 22,000 women in Australia undergo surgery for
prolapse each year.
‘When you consider the average
age of the patient is 55 and women in Australia live to an average age of
almost 85, there is a need for a surgical repair capable of lasting for 30
years.’
As well as being durable, Dr
Carey’s surgical method is also less invasive.
The reinforcing polypropylene
mesh is inserted through the vagina with no need for abdominal incisions.
At the completion of surgery,
the support device is inserted into the vagina where it supports the healing
tissues for three weeks until tissue ingrowth into the mesh has occurred and it
has assimilated with the surrounding tissues.
It is then removed very easily.
The surgery has been trialled so
far on 136 women at 11 centres internationally with an 88 per cent success
rate—almost 15 per cent more successful than the current ‘gold standard’
prolapse operation that also uses mesh—but without the support device.
Current surgical methods are
also more surgically-invasive because they are performed through an abdominal
incision.
Dr Carey believes his prolapse
repair method, which is available as a complete surgical kit, could be used by
sub-specialist or general gynaecological surgeons and would also be suitable in
developing countries or remote areas.
Dr Carey invented the new
procedure, including the unique vaginal support device.
